Royal Route Residence

There’s no elevator, and quite a lot of stairs, so bear that in mind when packing. The apartment is a standard European one in a busy tourist area, with some noise from the bars, though it didn’t affect my sleep much. I spent a week there with my family to visit extended family. I’d researched beforehand, and check-in and arrival were easy. Grocery stores are a 2-10 minute walk depending on what you need. The nearest bus and tram stops are about five minutes away, and the central train station is a 5-10 minute ride. We were happy with the service and stay, and I’d definitely come back.

The location was the one good thing, but the stay was such a headache I’d never return. We couldn’t sleep at all because it was noisy even with the windows shut, and light came in at night with no curtains. The bathroom needs a proper makeover. I had to make the bed myself, there was no duvet cover, and there was no microwave. Finding the entrance was difficult, then we had to climb stairs with no lift. After that, we were sent to another place a few buildings away, with more stairs and no lift.

The staff were friendly, but they asked for a deposit in exchange for the apartment keys and gave us a map to find the place. I think they’re an agent using different residential apartments along the main road. Finding their office takes a bit of looking: go through the gate to the left of the sign, where there’s a small plaque for royal residence, then use the door at the end on the right. The staircase up is quite narrow. We stayed just before Christmas, and the apartment was warm despite the cold outside. It was clean and tidy, with a modern kitchen and older furnishings elsewhere. The TV was frustrating, as it seemed to need retuning every time we used it.

We had a spacious, pleasant apartment, and the main parts of Warsaw were only a short walk away. It also worked perfectly as a base for my Warsaw Beer Festival trip. The festival site was about a 1.5 mile walk, which I didn’t mind.